Funding for the digitization of this title was provided by Charter Foundation of Valley, Alabama and the Chipley Historical Center of Pine Mountain.
About Harris County journal. (Hamilton, Harris County, Ga.) 1920-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 31, 2015)
HARRIS COUNTY JOURNAL - Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015 Page 5-A Time Again for ‘Auld Lang Syne’ “Should auld acquain tance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot and auld lang syne?” As difficult as it is for me to fathom, the year 2015, which seems as if it just arrived, is about to be rele gated to the dustbins of his tory. But before we say hello to 2016, it is fitting and prop er to bid a fond farewell to the year just gone by. Like many of you (I’m sure), I recently watched (again) the classic film, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” No one could forget the final climac tic scene in the Bailey’s liv ing room as George Bailey’s little brother Harry, the war hero, arrives in the midst of a snowstorm to toast his older sibling: “To my big brother George. The richest man in town!” AT THAT POINT the entire assemblage (the whole town of Bedford Falls it seems) breaks out sponta neously into song. Even lit tle Zuzu, who George was holding, apparently knew all the words. The song of course, is “Auld Lang Syne.” But where did it come from, what does it mean, and why do we sing it around New Year’s? I’m glad you asked. The phrase “auld lang syne” has been traced back as far as the early 1600’s in Scotland. The famed Scottish poet Robert Burns is credit ed with writing the poem that provided the lyrics for the song, in 1788. But apparent ly Burns himself acknowl edged that he was merely for malizing, at least in part, words and expressions that had been sung in Scotland for many years. A literal translation of the phrase is “old long since,” but it has been vari ously interpreted to mean song on December 31, 1929 at the Hotel Roosevelt in New York City. The party later shifted to the Waldorf- Astoria Hotel, where the Lombardo orchestra per formed on New Year’s Eve from 1959 to 1976. “Auld Lang Syne” became an annu al tradition as well as Lombardo’s trademark. Since these New Year’s Eve parties were broadcast nationally on radio (and later on television) the song and the occasion became inextri cably fixed in America’s con sciousness. And what would the New Year’s Eve celebration at Times Square in New York be without the playing of “Auld Lang Syne” when the ball drops at midnight? The appeal of “Auld Lang Syne,” aside from its long tra dition, is the call to remem ber the past, as prompted by the end of another calendar year. As such, the song car ries a powerful message of sentimental reflection, espe cially as sung from year-to- year. “Auld Lang Syne” cer tainly had an emotional impact upon George and Mary Bailey, didn’t it? Or was it due to the inscription inside the cover of “Tom Sawyer” by Clarence the angel: “Remember no man is a fail ure who has friends.” As we close out the year 2015, and perhaps sing “Auld Lang Syne” at midnight on New Year’s Eve, we may want to recall how important our friends are to each of us. “For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne. We’ll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne!” Goodbye 2015. Hello 2016. Happy New Year! You may contact Joey Loudermilk at joeylouder- milk@yahoo.com “old long ago,” “the good old days,” “time long past,” “days gone by,” “long, long, ago,” or “old times.” The poem/song begins with a rhetorical ques tion as to whether old mem ories or long-standing friend ships should be forgotten. Hopefully, the answer for all of us is no. INTERESTINGLY, the song’s first line somewhat mirrors the beginning of “Dixie:” (“...old times there are not forgotten...”) (Sadly, due to the efforts of the omnipresent PC “politically correct” police, the song Dixie has been pretty much erased from our culture. If you don’t believe me, ask any one under the age of 20, or even 30 to sing the first line.) But back to “Auld Lang Syne.” Its melody comes from a traditional Scottish folk song. Can you picture a long ago scene in some pub in Glasgow or Edinburgh with a bunch of merry Scotsmen hoisting their mugs of ale, gently swaying arm in arm as they belt out the words of this ancient tune? AT SOME unknown point in the past, “Auld Lang Syne” began to be sung by the Scots on New Year’s Eve and the custom spread to the British Isles, and eventually through out the entire English-speak ing world. The time and the credit for popularizing “Auld Lang Syne” in the United States are much easier to trace and doc ument. The orchestra leader Guy Lombardo played the Quick Takes DELUGE DEVASTATION - Photographer Samantha F. Gooch, at 5’10,” stands next to the “Camping Area” sign with water up to her knees at the Pigeon Creek camp site in Meriwether County, showing the growth of the Flint River from the holiday rain. Chili Cook Off at State Park Jan. 16 By ANDY KOBER Time is drawing near for the Third Annual Campground Chili Challenge cook-off and Hot Pepper Eating contest. This hotly contested event has featured a number of challengers competing to be named chili champion of the year. Campground Chili Challenge III and the Hot Pepper Eating contest has been sched uled for 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16, at the Group Shelter below the Lake Delanor Dam in the Family Campground. For those who think their chili is good enough, the entry fee is only $10. The con testant must prepare at least five quarts of homemade chili with or without beans, and bring the concoction to the group shelter preferably in a crockpot. Prizes will be award ed for first, second and third place. The challenge will also feature chili tasters, preferably with a discriminating palate. Tasters will have to register and there is a fee of $5 per taster. The winner of Campground Chili Challenge III will have bragging rights for the year and word has it there will be some new challengers this year. Immediately after the chili cook-off, the Hot Pepper Eating contest will take place. Participants will eat progressively hotter peppers until the last person remains and that person will be declared the winner. Preregistration is required and only cost $5 per person. Other upcoming events at the state park include: • Saturday, Jan. 2, Christmas Bird Count. Participate in the 116 Annual Audubon bird count, part of which is taking part in the state park and Callaway Gardens. Will count in teams and those interested should bring binoculars, lunch and snack. Dress for the weather. Preregister by emailing fdr- park_naturalist@yahoo.com Participants will meet at the Group Shelter in the family camp ground by 8 a.m. and again for lunch. • Saturday, Jan. 2, Campground Bingo, 7 p.m. in the Group Shelter below the Lake Delanor dam in the family campground. $3 fee per bingo card. • Saturday, Jan. 2, “Eye Spy Camera Scavenger Hunt”. Team up and take your dig ital cameras, or smart phones, and photo graph specific items. Pictures taken on a cam era or smart phone must be brought to the office by 4 p.m. Saturday. Obtain rules and check list at the state park office located on Ga. Hwy. 190, just outside Pine Mountain. Winners will be notified by phone to pick up prizes. • Sunday, Jan. 3, 10 a.m., Winter Wonders Discovery Table. See items discovered at the state park and learn about plants and animals that live in the park. Meet at the park office located on Ga. Hwy. 190, near Pine Mountain. • Sunday, Jan. 3, 1 p.m., Winter Woodland Adventure. Take a short one mile walk through the woods and learn about the plants and animals that make the park a special place. Bring bottled water and dress appro priate for the weather. Meet at the Trading Post located in the Family Campground locat ed off Ga. Hwy. 354 near Pine Mountain. For more information about any of the programs at the state park, call 706-663-4858. The park is located near Pine Mountain. John Bunn Thinking of selling your Harris County real estate? Call John Bunn 706-662-0125 or email bunn947@gmail.com for updated market conditions. 27 YEARS SELLING HARRIS COUNTY REAL ESTATE ADDELL Join Us for Our Famous NEW YEAR EVENT! Smoked Salmon, Caviar, European Cheeses, Shrimp, Exotic Salad, Filet & Lobster, followed by an Exquisite Dessert! LIVE BAND/ENTERTAINMENT & DANCING PLUS FIREWORKS AT MIDNIGHT $60 PER PERSON* -*by reservation only. Open Daily of 5:30pm 607 Butts Mill Rd. Pine Mountain, GA 31822 www.cometodagher.com j 706-663-4777 SECTION 00030 ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS DOWNTOWN WATER TANK REFURBISHING TOWN OF PINE MOUNTAIN, HARRIS COUNTY, GEORGIA Sealed bids will be received by the Town of Pine Mountain, Georgia, for furnish ing all materials, labor, tools, equipment, and any other miscellaneous items nec essary for a Downtown Water Tank Refurnishing project in Pine Mountain, Georgia. Bids will be received at Town Hall until 2:00 P.M. local time on Thursday January 21, 2016. Any bid received after said time and date of bid opening will not be considered by OWNER. Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at this time and location. All bids will be evaluated by OWNER and the project will be award ed, if it is awarded, within thirty (30) days of the bid opening. The Project consists of, but is not limited to the following major elements: Refurbishing of a 100,000 gallon steel elevated water storage tank located on McDougald Avenue, including minor repairs. The site of the proposed work is in the Town of Pine Mountain. Time of completion for all work associated with this project shall be ninety (90) consecutive calendar days from the date of a written "Notice to Proceed" from OWNER. Copies of Contract Documents, Specifications, and Construction Drawings may be obtained at the office of Precision Planning, Inc., 400 Pike Boulevard, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30046, upon payment of a non-refundable cost of $25.00. Checks shall be made payable to Precision Planning, Inc. The Information for Bidders, Bid Proposal Form, Form of Agreement, Drawings, Specifications, and forms of Bid Bond, Performance Bond, Payment Bond, Bidders Qualification Forms, and other Contract Documents may be examined at the following locations: Town of Pine Mountain Precision Planning, Inc. 250 North McDougald Avenue 400 Pike Boulevard Pine Mountain, Georgia 31822 Lawrenceville, Georgia 30046 Phone (706) 663-2213 Phone (770) 338-8000 Questions regarding the advertisement may be directed to Joe Walter (770) 468- 8096. A list of persons who purchased Contract Documents from Precision Planning, Inc. will be available from the Engineer ONLY through e-mail at 331jr@ppi.us. OWNER requires a bid bond* or a certified cashier's check in the amount of five percent (5%) of the total bid to be enclosed with the bid at the time of bid open ing. Cashier's check will be made payable to Town of Pine Mountain. The suc cessful bidder will be required to furnish OWNER with Insurance, Workman's Compensation Insurance, and Performance and Payment Bonds* in the amount of one-hundred percent (100%) of the total bid. Each bid must be submitted in a SEALED ENVELOPE, addressed to the OWNER. Each sealed envelope containing a Bid must be plainly marked on the outside as, "Bid for Downtown Water Tank Refurbishing for the Town of Pine Mountain” and be labeled with the BIDDER'S State of Georgia Utility Contractor License Number. If bid is forwarded by mail, the sealed envelope containing the Bid must be enclosed in a separate mailing envelope to the attention of the OWNER at the address previously given. All Bids must be made out on the bid form of the type bound in the Contract Documents, in accordance with the instructions in the Information for Bidders. No interlineation, additions, or deletions shall be made in the proposal form by the BIDDER. Any and all Bids received without the aforementioned qualification criteria enclosed, will be returned to the BIDDER.CONTRACTORS and SUB CONTRACTORS bidding on this Project will be required to comply with all Federal, State, territorial, and local laws. OWNER reserves the rights to waive any informalities or to reject any or all Bids, to evaluate Bids, and to accept any Bid which in its opinion may be in the best interest of the OWNER. No Bid will be rejected without just cause. Successful Bidder will be required to perform WORK as the Prime Contractor. WORK performed by Prime Contractor shall be 30% minimum. No BIDDER may withdraw his bid within the thirty (30) day time limit. * Surety companies executing Bonds must appear on the Treasury Department's most current list (Circular 570 as amended) and be authorized to transact business in the state where the project is located. Jim Trott, Mayor Town of Pine Mountain, Georgia
